Dutch priest given N.Z. trip

Press, 4 February 1987, Page 9

Dutch priest given N.Z. trip

A Dutch priest who lived in New Zealand for 17 years has been able to return to New Zealand for a holiday because of the . generosity of his parish in Geleen, in the south of Holland. The Rev. John Kortooms arrived in New Zealand last month for a reunion with friends and former parishioners. Last Sunday he led a Mass for Christchurch’s Dutch community, who were among the last people to see the Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, the Most Rev. Denis Hanrahan, before his sudden death on Sunday afternoon. Bishop Hanrahan had attended a Mass at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament being led by Father Kortooms, a former priest for the Dutch community in Wellington and Christchurch from the late 1950 s until his return to the Netherlands in 1970. Father Kortooms cele-

brated his fortieth anniversary as a priest last year. In Holland it was the custom to present long-serving priests with a gift to celebrate, and his had been a trip back to New Zealand, he said.

“It was the nicest gift I could have had. Christchurch is even more beautiful now than I remembered it.”

Father Kortooms spent his first seven years in New Zealand helping the many Dutch settlers who emigrated to New Zealand after World War II to find jobs, accommodation, and learn English. “The best years of my life were spent in New Zealand. I built strong attachments with the many people I came in contact with.” he said. Since his return after 10 years to New Zealand, Father Kortooms said he had noticed Christchurch people seemed to be eating less meat and “more

vegetables,” and they smoked less. “People in New Zealand seem much more aware of their health and they talk about it all the time now. “Since I arrived last week, I have had lots of people telling me not to smoke, but when I was

last here lots of people were smoking,” he said. On returning home, Father Kortooms had to return some of the current “colloquialisms” of his native language, as well as readjusting to the Dutch way of life. “At the beginning, many people would come up to me after my services and say I had used lots of English during the service.” Although Father Kortooms was "nearly 67,” he said he did not intend retiring on his return home for two or three years, “because there are not many priests left my age.” When he retired he intended to write a book on his experience in New Zealand. “I suppose writing’s in my blood really, as my cousin, Mr Toon Kortooms, is a well known Dutch publisher who has written a book on New Zealand.”